Shadow of Destiny Once Again
by WritetotheDeath
Summary: Eike has to do something he never dreamed of... *Yay! New Chapter!* Sequel which takes place after ending B (the one with Mr Eckhart). Please R&R.
1. Past the Alchemists House

1 Shadow of Destiny - Once Again  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing in this story except the different storyline I'm using. Eike, Homunculus and all other characters belong to Konami, unless I say otherwise (which isn't likely, I don't have enough imagination to make up my own characters).  
  
Summary: Originally this was going to be just a conclusion to SoD but I will probably make it a full story. Basically my own sequel to the game. This takes place after ending B (the one where you go and find Hom but not the fortune-teller).  
  
  
  
1.1  
  
He walked slowly, with his head down. Only looking where he placed his feet on the cobblestone road. The sound of his shoes on the road rang clearly in his ears. Clearer than before, just like everything seemed slightly more...enhanced. People said you came to appreciate life more when you come close to dying. This young man knew differently.  
  
The best way to appreciate life is by dying.  
  
Eike Kusch knew what he was talking about. Despite his being alive in every way, he had in fact already died. Frequently, in fact. But who knew? No one. Well, aside from a few selected people. To everyone else however he seemed very much an ordinary young man. Blonde hair swept back into a ponytail, a few stray lock falling down either side of his face, a face with beautiful jade-green eyes. And those eyes would be different to a person who met Eike only a day or so ago. Now, his eyes looked as if they had seen centuries. This was actually quite true. Eike had seen many centuries. But he hadn't lived through them. Just...visited them.  
  
Eike's story is long and complicated, despite only taking place in the space of 24 hours. Well, it would have seemed like 24 hours to anyone else. Eikes astonishing story began with an ending. His own death. But, mysteriously resurrected and, at the time unaware of the reason why, gifted with the ability to travel through time in order to prevent his fate from ever occurring, he had begun an amazing adventure, which upon reaching its inevitable climax, had left him drained and feeling a lot older than his 22 years.  
  
But he was alive and free of his destiny, despite its consequences. He had accidentally set a lot of things in motion, interfered with a lot of lives and ended up preserving two. One being his own and the other...  
  
Eike didn't like to think about it. It brought feelings of disgust and rage to him. His handsome face contorted into a grimace at the thought of the deception he had been the victim of. Wasn't he worth more than a simple tool? Didn't he deserve better treatment from that twisted bastard? He was not someone who enjoyed being deceived. He knew of very few people who did. But still, making him believe he was simply saving his own life when he was in fact destroying innocent lives and preserving the destiny of the one who brought about that destruction...  
  
Eike was approaching his destination. The Bar Zum Ei. He had been planning to celebrate. When you survived a day like this you deserved a drink. Maybe several.  
  
Eike opened the door. He had a vision of flames leaping up around him, the sound of smashing glass, his own coughing as he died. He gave himself a mental kick back into reality. Nothing was wrong. Nothing.  
  
He sat down in a dark corner, not wanting to be approached right then. Eventually the bar man came over, enthusiastically offering him a drink, on the house of course. Eike accepted, requesting a vodka and tonic. Five minutes later, he was still staring blankly at the clear liquid in his glass. He leaned back and shut his eyes. Then he reached out and picked up the glass. He took a small sip.  
  
"Eike?"  
  
Eike opened his eyes. Mr Eckhart was standing by his table, his arm up in a homemade sling. He looked concerned.  
  
"Hi Mr Eckhart." Said Eike with only slightly false cheerfulness. "I can see you've sorted out your arm."  
  
"Judging from the look on your face when I came in I would say you are the one with the problem!"  
  
Eike couldn't withhold a smile. "Its been quite a rough day. Sorry."  
  
"Do you want to talk about it? I mean, obviously its not a great topic of conversation, someone trying to murder you in cold..." Eckhart trailed off. He hung his head at his own hypocritical words.  
  
"Don't be so hard on yourself. I know you only did it because you wanted your daughter back. Anyone could understand that. You weren't the real killer."  
  
"I know but still.... Well I was worried about you so, I wanted to just make sure you were still on your feet. Miriam was asking after you to. We thought you might like to stay with us for a while?"  
  
"That's really nice of you both." Said Eike, actually feeling happier now. "If it's not too much trouble...?"  
  
"Are you kidding? Of course it isn't any trouble! If you're finished here then shall we head off?"  
  
"Sure." Eike downed the rest of his drink in one go and stood up, smiling gratefully.  
  
They stepped out of the bar and headed down the street. They passed the Former Alchemist's House and Eike felt an irresistible urge to go inside. Instead he just paused for an instant. Then he heard the voice, speaking almost as if from another world. A dead world.  
  
"Would you cheat fate once again?" 


	2. An Unexpected Visitor

1 Shadow of Destiny - Once Again  
  
  
  
1.1  
  
1.2 Chapter 1  
  
  
  
It had been about two weeks since Eike had heard that voice. At first it had worried and, though he didn't want to admit it, frightened him. The idea of going through that kind of traumatic event all over again was just a little too much.  
  
And anyway, what would it be for this time? Would he be saving that demon again? Or perhaps an even worse demon, though Eike found it hard to imagine someone worse than Homunculus.  
  
No. He was not willing to cheat fate again. Not for himself, not for anyone.  
  
Eike was walking out of the butchers now. He'd been running an errand for Miriam. The past two weeks had been quiet and calm. Mr Eckhart had offered him a job at the museum. Eike had accepted, feeling guilty about their hospitality, which he really felt he didn't deserve. Eckhart still seemed upset about the... 'incident'. They didn't discuss it but Eike could tell. Miriam was the perfect hostess, kind and thoughtful, always happy to help him with something.  
  
Eike swung the plastic bag in his hand, enjoying the feeling of its weight. Its solidness. Maybe life wasn't so bad after all. The fact that he still had a life was a good point.  
  
He came across a small park at the side of the road and sat down on the bench. Miriam had told him not to hurry so he had a little time to kill. Eike couldn't resist an amused chuckle at that. Time to kill?  
  
He sat back and closed his eyes. He gave a deep sigh. A quick breeze whipped past him. He kept his eyes shut. They shot open however at the sound of the voice.  
  
"Eike?"  
  
He practically leapt off the bench and spun around to face that familiar voice. But how the hell...?  
  
"M-Margarete?" was all Eike could stammer.  
  
It was impossible but there she was. Her long brown hair flowing down her back, her clothes traditional for the 15th century. There was a confused frown on her face and worry in her brown eyes.  
  
"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I was looking for you and I was so glad I found you!"  
  
"Margarete?" said Eike again. " But how the hell did you get here? Why are you here?" he was still finding it very hard to believe she was here. Her own brother, Hugo, was holding her at knifepoint the last time Eike saw her. Although, he wasn't really her brother was he. Again a feeling of guilt rose in Eikes heart. If it hadn't been for him, this girl would have lived a normal, happy life. In her own time.  
  
Margarete was also looking guilty. She glanced around nervously but eventually came out with the truth. "Hugo didn't destroy the time machine, Eike."  
  
"What? But he said he would! He said he was turning over a new leaf!"  
  
"I know but...well he was still so angry about...well everything. About mother and father being gone and everything. He was trying really hard to get on with his life Eike but...he wants revenge. He really wants it! It's horrible!"  
  
"Revenge?" said Eike, not quite believing what he was hearing. "Is that why you're here? To warn me?"  
  
"No! He doesn't want revenge on you! I don't know who he wants revenge on really, he never explained any of what's happening to me. I thought it might have something to do with the person he kept mentioning in the square when..." Margarete trailed off. The memory of that event clearly still bothered her.  
  
"You mean...Homunculus?" This whole thing shocked Eike. He could understand Hugo's motive at least. Homunculus had spirited his father away, destroyed his home and the Philosophers Stone, the substance that Homunculus was made from could be used to create life. In Hugo's case, recreate his mother.  
  
"I think that was his name" Margarete was saying. "He's still so obsessed with the idea of saving mother. Eike we have to stop him, it's just not right! I miss mother to but she's gone now and we shouldn't do anything to interfere with that. Even if this...Homunculus person really did do all the horrible things Hugo said he did."  
  
"I don't like Homunculus any more than Hugo does. But you're right. We can't just let him go around resurrecting spirits." Eike had to sit back down to think. Margarete came and sat beside him.  
  
"What makes Hugo think coming here will help him get hold of Homunculus?" said Eike at last. "Does he think I have some kind of friendship thing going on with him? If he does you can tell him I'm about as friendly with that demon as I would be with a man-eating shark."  
  
Margarete smiled briefly. "I don't know what he thinks he's doing," she said. "But will you help? Please?"  
  
Eike knew that getting involved would probably be a big mistake, but looking at Margarete, on the edge of tears, compassion won over rational thought.  
  
"All right." 


	3. A Hated Voice

1 Shadow of Destiny - Once Again  
  
  
  
1.1 Chapter 2  
  
  
  
Miriam was sitting at the table in the Eckharts kitchen preparing the evening meal. Eckhart was finishing some paperwork in his office. He was so wrapped up in his work lately. Miriam had a funny feeling that there was something about this young man, Eike, which her husband wasn't telling her. Mind you there was something about Eike she wasn't telling Eckhart. But would he really believe her if she said he was the same man who saved her life almost 20 years ago?  
  
Eckhart seemed very attached to Eike. He was nice she had to admit, but still strange. He didn't talk about his home or parents or anything relating to his past. Maybe something had happened when he was younger. Well, it wasn't any of her business anyway.  
  
She got up and went over to the kitchen door to call her husband down for dinner. She never got his name out before the door opened and Eike walked in.  
  
"Eike! You're just in time. I was about to call Eckhart down for supper. Did you get the meat for tomorrow all right?" she stopped suddenly. "Who's this young lady?"  
  
Eike turned round to see Margarete standing nervously in the doorway. He smiled.  
  
"Miriam this is Margarete, a friend of mine. Margarete, Miriam Brum."  
  
"How do you do," said Margarete nervously. She looked up at the middle-aged woman and felt a strange familiarity. Like she knew this woman. But that was impossible.  
  
"Nice to meet you dear" said Miriam, slipping instantly into 'charming- hostess' mode. We were just about to have dinner so I can lay a place for you if you want to join us?"  
  
"That would be great, thank you."  
  
"I'll go and fetch Mr Eckhart shall I?" offered Eike politely.  
  
"Of course that would be very decent of you. Do you want to help with...."  
  
Miriam's voice trailed off as Eike left the room and walked up the stairs to Eckhart's office. He turned on the stairs abruptly, looking back down into the hall. He remembered how he had first seen Homunculus there. He had been suspicious at first about him. Homunculus' appearance had unnerved him. What an idiot he had been to fall for all his tricks. Part of him half hoped that Hugo would kill Homunculus, but that would mean he would have the stone. Eike couldn't afford an accident to happen with that stone. If Hugo only managed to blow himself up or worse simply conjured Homunculus up again then...  
  
Eike turned and headed on up the stairs. He was going to stop it. For now he just had to keep focused and comfort Margarete. She had almost burst into tears of gratitude when he had agreed to help her and it had taken him awhile to calm her down so he could suggest coming down to the art museum with him. He was still questioning the wisdom of this idea. Considering that the Brums were her real parents. Things could get very complicated.  
  
He knocked before entering Eckhart's office. The man was looking through some old books that he kept on his shelves. This building could have been a library as well. Eike had helped a past owner decide on what he should do with the house, since it was too big for just him and his two children to live in.  
  
"Eike, what's the problem?"  
  
"Miriam wanted me to bring you down for supper. We have a guest as well. A friend of mine." Eike wasn't sure whether he should tell Eckhart who the 'guest' was. He'd certainly remember her from two weeks ago in the square even though, according to Margarete a year or so had passed in her time.  
  
"Well then, I wouldn't want to keep a guest waiting. Lets go."  
  
They made their way down the stairs, not saying anything. Eike was still worrying about Eckhart's reaction to Margarete when the front door bell to the museum rang.  
  
"I'll get it Mr. Eckhart. You go and start the meal without me."  
  
Eike headed through the double doors to the main front hall. He paused for an instant, wondering if this was such a good idea. He shrugged off the idea. Hugo wasn't going to kill him. Margarete had said so. It was Homunculus he was after. The doorbell rang again, for longer this time. Eike went and reached for the doorknob.  
  
"Silly. Didn't you learn anything from your past experiences?" 


	4. Behind the Door

1 Shadow of Destiny – Once Again  
  
  
  
1.1 Chapter 3  
  
Eikes hand froze two inches from the handle. The breath he had taken in on hearing the voice so suddenly was let out in a long and weary sigh.  
  
"I certainly learned never to trust you."  
  
There was a short, dry laugh behind him. Eike very slowly turned round, already certain of what he was going to see. Homunculus was leaning casually against the wall by the corner, watching him with the familiar smirk, which Eike found more infuriating than ever.  
  
"Is that all you learned? My my."  
  
"'My, my'? Is that all you're going to say? What the hell do you want from me this time?"  
  
Homunculus raised a hand to silence him, Eike found it very hard not to do as he asked. For all the horrible things that Homunculus had done to him and made him do to others, and despite Eikes inevitable hatred of the demon, there was still, somewhere, an agreement.  
  
"Now, Eike you really must control yourself. Shouting is not going to get us anywhere, in fact it will only serve to make your 'visitor' suspicious."  
  
Eike instinctively looked over his shoulder at the door. Homunculus' emphasis on the word 'visitor' was eerie. Margarete had said that Hugo was not trying to kill him, but then why was he here? If indeed it was Hugo behind the door.  
  
"Is this about Hugo wanting to kill you? Do you want me to help you or something? I'm not going to be your errand runner again, you understand? We are finished. Got it?"  
  
"Eike, you really are impossible. You already are helping me, in some sense at least. Because you are trying to stop Hugo from getting hold of the Philosophers Stone you are in fact stopping him from killing me. So you see, I really don't need to ask for your help there now do I?"  
  
"Then what do you want? What are you doing here?"  
  
"Eike, you really should learn some patience. You'll get your explanation soon enough."  
  
"Oh really? Will that be after you've wrecked some other peoples lives or are you going to have the decency to tell me your big scheme?"  
  
Homunculus gave a sigh. He knew that Eike would still be angry with him. Who could blame him? But he had to try. The young man was essential in preserving his existence and Homunculus wanted to help him, though it would have to be a bit more honestly done than last time.  
  
"Eike, has it not occurred to you that, if I am the selfish demon you consider me to be that I would want to sustain my own life? I have as a matter of fact just saved your life you know, and it wasn't necessary for me to do so."  
  
Eike was silent for a moment. Homunculus was right about several things. Of course he would want to help Eike if it was necessary in saving his own demonic ass but…  
  
"Why did you just save my life then if it didn't matter? Run out of energy to resurrect me?"  
  
"Eike, I could resurrect you very easily. I guess I got so used to doing it before! But in doing so I would only prove a significant point to your would-be-killer."  
  
"Okay, firstly it's not as if I wanted to die all those times, and secondly what point would you resurrecting me prove?"  
  
"Dear, dear. Maybe your fall from the tower left your poor, blonde head in a mess. Perhaps it would be more convenient for both of us if you simply opened the door."  
  
Eike turned and looked at the door. He wondered whether the one who had been knocking was listening to their conversation. Confused, he turned back to Homunculus.  
  
"Why do you suddenly want me to open the door? Is this another one of your little tricks?"  
  
"Not mine Eike. But I think you will understand the nature of our rather strange alliance when you see the consequences of opening the door. The person behind it is probably already aware of my presence here. There would be no real point in their little trick, except to make absolutely sure what they were suspected was true."  
  
"But what is it they suspect? Will you for once just say what you mean plainly? No elaborate metaphors or anything just a simple answer."  
  
"Your answer is on the other side of that door, Eike. Open it."  
  
"Fine then." And Eike abruptly turned his back on Homunculus and opened the door.  
  
Nothing. No one in sight.  
  
Eike gave an impatient sigh and turned back to Homunculus.  
  
"So what was all this for you..."  
  
Eike stumbled forward as something hit him squarely in the back. No pain, just a numbness that spread throughout his whole body. He looked around, realizing that Homunculus had vanished.  
  
He fell on his knees, then finally lay full length on the floor, closing his eyes as he lost his hold on life once again, listening to the sound of retreating footsteps, and then blackness, and silence... 


	5. Secrets and Alliances

1 Shadow of Destiny – Once Again  
  
  
  
1.1.1 Chapter 4  
  
Eike felt numb. Cold and numb. Is this what it's like to be dead? Really dead? But now, as his mind wondered over the possibilities of his situation he began to feel something hard against the whole front of his body. Something cold and hard and...Familiar.  
  
Without even realizing it Eike raised his head and opened his eyes, alive as he ever had been, and groaned. He knew this place far too well.  
  
"Oh damn."  
  
"Language, Eike!" said the very voice Eike had been instantly expecting to hear. He raised him self up and turned to see Homunculus perched in his usual place on top of that large door in his small 'home'. The demon had that infuriating smirk on his face again, and was watching Eike with undisguised amusement.  
  
"What the hell am I doing back here?" – was the only question Eike could think of to ask.  
  
"Dear, dear. No 'Am I dead?' this time Eike?" Homunculus laughed softly. "Well, to answer your question, you are here because you are dead. Happy?"  
  
"Oh sure! I've never been better! For the second time I have a homicidal maniac after me and a demonic maniac offering to help me out of the problem, all for it's own personal gain! But that's great isn't it! That's life, right?"  
  
Eike finally stopped for breath. He was so angry. He just wanted to wring Homunculus' grinning head from his fragile little neck.  
  
"Eike...please calm down! I will give you my word that there are no tricks in this alliance..."  
  
"That's right! Because there is no alliance! I can stop Hugo from resurrecting his mother without your help! I don't want you in my life! Get it?"  
  
"You think I enjoy getting involved with humans like this? I told you, they're nothing but trouble. Unfortunately, as before, I don't really have a choice where you are concerned. You know that I wish to preserve my existence, so it shouldn't seem so outrageous that I want to help you. But you must understand, Eike, there is a link between us you don't know of. Something that is making me do these things. It is complicated and, like so many explanations of mine, you won't like it, but in the end it is necessary that I tell you."  
  
Eike was rather shaken by this little speech. Homunculus' sincerity was rather unnerving, and the ominous tone he used was even more so. Eike knew that Homunculus had done something to him, and now, he wouldn't rest until he knew what it was.  
  
"Okay then." Eike said at last. "I'll hear you out, if it's so important."  
  
"Thank you, Eike!" Homunculus leapt gracefully down from the doorframe onto the floor. "Perhaps you should sit. This will take a while to explain."  
  
Eike promptly sat down on the floor. He didn't particularly like being in such a vulnerable position, even though he knew Homunculus was too weak to attack him, but he became more at ease when Homunculus sat down by the large, stone head and leaned back against it.  
  
"You heard Hugo in the square didn't you? Saying that I destroyed his family. I can't deny there is some truth in it really. But also when you think about it, there were other causes. I didn't cause his mothers death. Why on earth would I bother? But Wagner's disappearance? Yes I am responsible."  
  
"You understand my involvement with the family, Eike. At least to some degree. Wagner was not, as you assumed, my creator. I have been alive, artificially at least, for far longer than that. First of all you must understand my nature. I am not simply a demon. I am a genie. The Philosophers stone is my prison. When it is used to 'create' the Homunculus I am summoned to the person who performed the experiment and I am released, until I am imprisoned again."  
  
"Wait, though!" Said Eike suddenly. "If you're a genie then doesn't that mean you..."  
  
"Grant wishes? Yes. You can imagine how this surprises most of the alchemists who summon me." Here Homunculus gave a soft laugh. "It often leads them to make rather...interesting wishes." For a moment Homunculus seemed lost in some deep inner thought. Eike wasn't sure he liked the fact that Homunculus had a small smile on his face. But Homunculus continued before he could start asking questions.  
  
"Anyway, in the case of Wagner, he recovered from the shock more quickly than most and made a wish for immortality in a youthful form..."  
  
"Doesn't sound very original." Said Eike, unable to keep back the sarcastic comment.  
  
This time, Homunculus laughed outright. "How very true Eike! And how very ironic of you to think so. But let me continue. I gave Wagner his wish but afterwards I was unable to experience my freedom. He had set up a pentagram, which would imprison me back in the stone."  
  
"But not before I exacted revenge. I wiped his mind of memories. Condemned him to 'the endless night of youth' as I called it. I hope you can understand my reason for this. Something went wrong with the ritual and... somehow I was not trapped. I recovered myself and found I was still in the house, which is an event you should remember, since you met me then during your journey."  
  
"Yeah, I remember. You didn't know who I was then though."  
  
"How could I have Eike? We had never met!"  
  
"But I still don't see what this has to do with me. Apart from that I gave Wagner the stone for you. Even though I didn't know what I was doing then."  
  
Homunculus ignored the comment about his deception and answered the question. "Do you remember my little lecture Eike? About coffee and tea? Well in a different space-time continuum, when you gave Wagner the stone you told him to put a pentagram on the floor, for protection. He admired your intelligence, despite your youth. He envied it."  
  
"Is that why you hate pentagrams? They put you back in the stone?"  
  
"That's right. So our dear Dr Wagner was free to wonder the world. Immortal. Eternally young. But with no memories. But he was not simply young, Eike."  
  
A horrible sense of dread began to creep over Eike. "What was different about him?"  
  
Homunculus had been staring blankly at the wooden floor for most of the time, but now he raised his head and looked straight at Eike. As their eyes met an image of the young Dr Wagner appeared in Eike's mind. But at the same time Eike knew that it was Dr Wagner, he also saw the simple and now obvious truth.  
  
He was looking at himself.  
  
  
  
Hi! Sorry this wasn't the most exciting thing and I also apologize if anyone thinks I'm making Homunculus a little nicer than he should be (for those who think Homunculus is an evil S-o-B.) It will be all right in the end. You'll see, *if* you review! I need support! *Sniff* I need a hug! 


	6. Apologies and Beginnings

1 Shadow of Destiny – Once Again  
  
  
  
1.1.1 Chapter 5  
  
"NO!"  
  
Eike's wild cry echoed in Homunculus' small world. Both were on their feet in an instant, Eike was walking in circles, ranting at the top of his voice, half mad with rage. Homunculus was standing warily to one side, hoping to avoid any angry, violent movements that Eike might decide to make towards him. Watching carefully, he allowed Eike to relieve his feelings. He had anticipated this reaction.  
  
"Oh, god no! Why? Why did this have to happen? Oh, god you bastard! You..."  
  
"Eike, I warned you you wouldn't take this lightly. You needed to hear this. I can understand..."  
  
"Understand? You? That's a laugh! The only thing you ever tried to understand about me was how to get me to be your mindless pawn and.."  
  
Eike stopped in mid sentence. Homunculus had raised his hand and, in his growing irritation, conjured a nice immovable gag around Eike's mouth. As hard as he tried, Eike simply couldn't remove it.  
  
Homunculus couldn't contain a smile at the angry expression on Eike's face, but at least there was silence now.  
  
"If you've quite finished, Eike? You know there's nothing I can do to change anything now. What's done is done. But you do understand now? How everything has come full circle for you? All this was simply your destiny."  
  
"Mm bmmmmad!"  
  
"Eike, will you please shut up and pay attention?"  
  
"Fmmm mmu!"  
  
Homunculus rolled his eyes. Why did Eike have to choose right now to develop a backbone?  
  
"Listen. I think you know me well enough to realize I am not someone who asks for forgiveness. But, for the benefit of both of us..." here Homunculus took a deep breath: "do you think you can forgive me?"  
  
Eike was, if possible, even more shocked than before. Homunculus was asking him for forgiveness? It was something that Eike had thought Homunculus incapable of. Why would he be sorry for anything? He was probably only saying that to get Eike to help him preserve his life again. But as much as he hated Homunculus, Eike knew he was right. They did need each other's help, in a strange way. Homunculus in order to save himself, which despite being selfish was still a reasonable excuse and Eike in helping the whole Wagner family.  
  
His family.  
  
Eike nodded his head very slowly. The gag disappeared  
  
"This doesn't mean I like you."  
  
"Likewise, Eike" replied Homunculus a more genuine smile lighting up his face.  
  
Eike gave a sigh. He hoped he was doing the right thing. At least the worst part was over. He hoped. "What happens now?"  
  
"Unfortunately you still don't know the whole story, Eike...BUT!" and here Homunculus raised a finger, warning Eike to be silent. "But I assure you it is no fault of mine that this part of your destiny and this strange...history, I suppose, came about. It is something you need to hear, but I think it would be better to hear it...straight from the horses mouth, if you get my meaning."  
  
"So we're going visiting?"  
  
"You are, Eike."  
  
"What are you doing then?"  
  
"I'll be watching you, Eike. But I'm afraid I can't be there in person. I'm not welcome."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"You'll see," said Homunculus, his face now carefully blank. Then he gave Eike a mischievous smile. "Are you ready?"  
  
"As I'll ever be," replied Eike, gathering what little nerves he now had left.  
  
"Then I hope you remember how to use this..."  
  
As Homunculus spoke there was a clatter on the floor nearby and Eike saw a very familiar object on the floor. Homunculus' time-shifting device, the Digipad.  
  
"I'll need to time-travel again?"  
  
"It's an interesting pastime isn't it?" said Homunculus, his voice full of sarcasm. "But yes, you will need to time-travel. All the old rules still apply but it should be second nature to you really."  
  
Eike went over to the Digipad and picked it up with a strange feeling of reverence. After all, how many people had the opportunity to time-travel, to alter fate.  
  
"Good luck, Eike."  
  
Eike turned and watched as Homunculus began to fade, his body dissolving in that red glow from the feet up.  
  
"Hey, wait! How will I know what to do?"  
  
"First things first, Eike." Came Homunculus' now disembodied voice. Then there was silence.  
  
"Brilliant," said Eike to the darkness. He stood for a while, needing some time (how ironic!) to think. He wasn't certain that he trusted Homunculus. Well, in all honesty he didn't. He hated him. But at the same time, he did understand Homunculus' reasons. Who wouldn't be angry at being unwillingly imprisoned by someone you gave eternal youth to? Eike gave a sigh of resignation. First things first was what Homunculus had said. Eike shook his head. Why did he have to make a riddle out of everything. Well, he'd probably find out what he was talking about in time, and if he didn't, well, he had the Digipad.  
  
With a sigh of resignation, Eike pressed a button on the Digipad and vanished in a swirl of colored light. 


	7. Walks in the Dark

1 Shadow of Destiny – Once Again  
  
  
  
Chapter 6  
  
Eike felt his feet finally touch solid ground. He was actually quite pleased with himself. He could now jump across time easily. Obviously not as easily as Homunculus probably could, since he didn't even seem to need the Digipad to do it. But there was no fuss about it now. It was, as Homunculus had said, second nature.  
  
Eike looked around, he was back at the art museum, standing in the hallway. But what was he supposed to do now?  
  
There was a knock on the front door. Eike smiled. First things first, he thought. Well the answer to this little puzzle was easy enough, and with a feeling of smug satisfaction Eike turned and headed back towards the dining room.  
  
  
  
Margarete sat silently for a while. She recognized the building she was in at least. It was in the same place the Squire's had been in her time. The middle-aged man, Mr Eckhart, did resemble the Squire. Margarete stifled a giggle, remembering her conversation with Eike about him.  
  
"So...it is you. From the square the other week?"  
  
Margarete snapped out of her thoughts at the sound of Eckhart's voice. "Umm...yeah that's right." She smiled suddenly. "You were the one who saved me!"  
  
Eckhart smiled and took his seat opposite Margarete. "Well I wouldn't say 'saved' exactly."  
  
"Yes you did!" she insisted. "And you stopped Hugo from doing something terrible! I never got a chance to thank you either!"  
  
"Oh, that's alright. I was just trying to help Eike out. I kind of owed him a favor."  
  
"I'm the one who owes the favors Mr Eckhart," said Eike as he walked into the dining room and sat down next to Margarete. "I can't think what I would have done if you hadn't turned up. I guess we both owe you one!"  
  
"Right!" agreed Margarete. She smiled at Eike and then Mr Eckhart, who looked at her strangely. She lowered her eyes to her empty plate. For a while, the only sound was the clock in the corner.  
  
"Are we all here then?" called Miriam from the kitchen. "Lets get started."  
  
After dinner, Eike showed Margarete her room. He then explained to her what had happened when he went to fetch Eckhart or dinner.  
  
"So this... Homunculus person is on our side? He's trying to stop Hugo?"  
  
"Well...in a way. He's kinda got a different reason than ours though. He's really only interested in his own safety. But he is unpredictable. He'll do just about anything to make sure I don't let Hugo kill him."  
  
"But why would Hugo kill you to get to Homunculus?"  
  
Eike winced at this question. He had left out the part where Homunculus told him that he was Dr. Wagner. Margarete would have had a heart attack if she'd heard what happened. In answer he just shrugged. "I'm not sure. Maybe he just thinks that Homunculus and I still have this weird 'arrangement' and killing me will somehow lead Hugo to him eventually." Eike shrugged again. "But I really don't know."  
  
"What are you going to do now then?" Margarete was clearly worried about Eike now. Worried he would be hurt, or worse, killed.  
  
"I guess I have to do what Homunculus said.... go visiting."  
  
"Visiting who?"  
  
"Beats me. Homunculus isn't exactly one to give direct answers."  
  
"But you can't go out! It's not safe! What if..."  
  
"Margarete..." Eike said gently, taking her by the shoulders. "Even if I did get killed you would probably never realize it. Because, in a sense, it would never have happened."  
  
"Huh? I don't understand."  
  
"Don't worry. I'll explain all this stuff when there's more time, okay? I have to go and sort all this stuff out. You have to stay here."  
  
Margarete looked directly into Eike green eyes. She had always liked him. He was cute, funny and so sensitive and interesting. Why did he have to be messed up in something so dangerous? Couldn't they be a normal couple? She checked herself. Couldn't they at least be a couple!?! Maybe someday...  
  
"Be careful, Eike."  
  
"I promise," said Eike, sincerely. He squeezed her shoulders reassuringly and then left the room.  
  
He looked down at his watch. It was almost 11.00. There wouldn't be anyone around at this hour. It would be a good opportunity to try and find Homunculus and talk to him again. Or to find whoever he was supposed to find and talk to them.  
  
Eike headed towards the plaza, every sense alert and aware. Occasionally he glanced behind him, or stood still, listening for any sign of life other than himself. Nothing. No living creature was up. No living creature...  
  
Eike felt a small amount of pressure in the small of his back. He yelled, jumped, tried to turn...and ended up sprawled on his back on the pavement.  
  
"Quite the jumpy one aren't you Eike!"  
  
Eike lifted his head and looked directly at Homunculus, who was standing over him with his arms crossed, laughing.  
  
"Well, considering someone's out here trying to kill me I think I reacted in a very reasonable way!"  
  
Homunculus snorted with amusement and shook his head. He then bent over Eike and looked him over. "Are you hurt?"  
  
"Only my dignity, really." Eike replied, dryly. He got up and dusted himself off before putting a glare on his face and directing it at the demon. "So what do you want?"  
  
"Wasn't it you who wanted to talk, Eike?" Said Homunculus. "I'm actually here to take you to your next ally. I can't stay here very long though, and you should be out as little as possible tonight."  
  
"Thanks for your concern," said Eike sarcastically. Then he sighed. "Okay, where to then?"  
  
Homunculus smiled and beckoned Eike to follow him. Eike walked beside Homunculus in silence, wishing this whole thing just wasn't happening. They had walked across the square when Eike looked at Homunculus had realized something.  
  
"You're tired? Just from walking? I know you said your body was weak but I mean..."  
  
"I'm not used to walking in the real world." Said Homunculus. "I only come here when necessary because it is tiring. I told you how I can't do too much."  
  
"Seems like a kind of balance, right?"  
  
Homunculus stopped at this and turned to face Eike directly. "What do you mean by that?"  
  
Eike was unnerved by the look in Homunculus' eyes, but his nervousness only made his words tumble out.  
  
"I read something about people being balanced out between three things...er...mind, body and spirit. If someone is weak in one of those categories it usually mean they're strong in other ways. Like you being physically weak but mentally really clever. And...well Hugo being really clever but not having much grasp of right and wrong...not being spiritually very strong. I just thought...."  
  
Eike trailed off. Homunculus was looking at him, completely shocked, something he had never seen the demon look. Homunculus seemed to snap out of it after a moment and turned away from Eike. He walked over to a nearby wall and leaned against it.  
  
"Go and talk to the fortuneteller." Was all he said.  
  
Eike looked at him. He had never seen Homunculus like this and it worried him. "Homunculus...I...I didn't mean..."  
  
"Go, Eike" Homunculus replied in a voice, which was eerily cold and empty of even his usually smugness and contempt.  
  
Eike stepped back and finally turned and walked towards the former Alchemist's house. He stopped for a moment outside the door and then turned to look back at where Homunculus was. But he had disappeared.  
  
Eike sighed. This wasn't a good start to their alliance. He seemed to have succeeded in doing what very few people had managed to do. Upset Homunculus. He would have to sort that out later though.  
  
Eike sighed again and opened the door.  
  
  
  
/// Oooo, tension! Was this good? Please review! I need support to continue! Pretty please!?! 


	8. The Fortuneteller

1 Shadow of Destiny – Once Again  
  
  
  
1.1 Chapter 7  
  
The rich, intoxicating aroma of incense hit Eike just as it always used to. The only light in the room was the candles, which since there were so many provided just enough light to see but little enough to achieve that effect of the supernatural, which in turn mirrored the effect the rooms occupant had on Eike.  
  
"Welcome!"  
  
The voice came from under the red canopy. The first time Eike had heard that voice he had, rather ironically, almost died of fright. He thought that if he would ever hear a voice from 'the other side' so to speak, this woman's voice would be what it would sound like.  
  
Eike went and sat down at the table opposite the figure wrapped in red and black from head to toe. The fortuneteller still...unnerved him in a way, but it was a feeling he was used to by now.  
  
"Hello again." Eike began, not quite sure where to start the conversation. "Um...I'm kinda having a problem again."  
  
"Yes. I've been expecting your return. Fate has not given up yet."  
  
"No I guess not. But I was sent here to talk to you. Homunculus said I..."  
  
"NO!"  
  
The full force in which the fortuneteller spoke that single word was bad enough, but what shocked and frightened Eike most was the venom and hatred she managed to say it with.  
  
"Don't speak that name in this place!"  
  
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to...I just...sorry..."  
  
Shaken by the fortunetellers sudden anger Eike lapsed into silence. God, this woman must hate Homunculus! But why would she? Have they met?  
  
"Umm...excuse me but...do you have any idea why I was told to come here? Was it just for you to tell me my fortune?"  
  
"Forgive my outburst, child. That...thing is not something I wish to discuss. But...as to why you are here this is obvious. You must know things in order to continue your journey."  
  
"Yeah. The fated hour and stuff, right?"  
  
"Yes..." here the fortuneteller paused, as if considering whether she should tell Eike something. "But there is more you should know about your former killer and his family."  
  
"You mean Hugo? And the Wagner's?" What more could I possibly need to know about them...or about myself?  
  
"Yes. I know much about young Hugo's family, for I was once a part of it! All those years ago, when we first met, when I was alive, though very sick and slowly dying. All those years ago when I was Helena Wagner."  
  
"What?" Eike stared at the fortuneteller in complete shock. This was the woman he had met when Margarete had first taken him back to her home in the middle ages. And as the realization sank in, the voices of the two women merged together in his mind and he inwardly cursed himself for being such and idiot not to realize it before.  
  
"But...Margarete said you passed away! Just after we met!"  
  
"Yes, indeed I did. And I would have remained dead had it not been for my son...Hugo! He had a lock of my hair and used it in one of his father's machines and he tried to resurrect me. But he only succeeded in bringing my spirit back from the other world. And now I am condemned to wander this world for all eternity."  
  
Eike sat back, his mind reeling, filling with revelations. Hugo had said he wanted to raise his mother back from the dead, he said he had tried it before and failed. And now this woman's spirit was trapped here. With no body to protect it. And this woman...  
  
...was Eike's wife!  
  
Eike leapt up from his chair, knocking it over backwards. God! All this was becoming far to twisted for him! Why was all this happening to him?  
  
"I..I'm really sorry! Errr...guess I'll be going now!" Eike quickly turned away and strode towards the door. But Helena's voice stopped him before he opened it.  
  
"If you can return here even after the appointed hour has passed, then I will tell for you the next fortune."  
  
Eike shuddered and opened the door, glad to get out of that room. He ran to the square, right up to the statue of himself, wielding fire from his hand. He slumped down onto one of the benches and buried his head in his hands.  
  
It was all so horribly clear now. Everything seemed clear now that he had the answers to all the questions he'd never dared ask. And all this was his fault. He, when he had been Wagner had been so absorbed in his experiments he never spent any time with his family. Eike could remember how bitter Hugo had been about that. Why hadn't he tried to be more of a father to him? None of this would have happened otherwise! Homunculus would never have been created and Eike would never have become...Eike! And all these horrible things would never have happened.  
  
Eike remembered all Homunculus' talk about fate. He had said how it branched out and how it always tried to return to it's original course...but he never said how cruel it could be. Fate had brought about Homunculus' creation and now so many lives were ruined. Eike hated fate! Almost as much as he had hated Homunculus, which he still did, though much less than before. It wasn't his fault after all, when you got right down to it.  
  
Eike got up slowly, a new determination growing inside him. He was going to put all this right if it was at all possible. He knew it would be difficult but it would be worth it in the end...for everyone!  
  
Eike ran back to the art museum, not wanting to linger outside in case Hugo was somewhere nearby. He unlocked the door with the key Mr Eckhart had given him to use and climbed the stairs up to his room. He paused briefly my the door to Margarete's room. No sound came out of the room. She must have been sleeping.  
  
Eike went over to his room and locked the door behind him. He slowly undressed and climbed into bed. He really needed to rest his head after all this. Tomorrow was going to be 'one of those days.'  
  
Eike dozed off surprisingly quickly listening to the sounds of the night outside and the rustle of curtains as the breeze blew slowly in through the open window...  
  
****  
  
Margarete woke with a start in the morning, wondering at first where she was. Memories of the previous night flooded back and she relaxed slightly. Then she sat up.  
  
Eike!  
  
She jumped out of bed and ran down the corridor of the house in her nightdress. She had to see if Eike was back yet!  
  
She rushed into Eike's room, completely forgetting to knock and froze at the foot of Eike's bed. He was lying, almost as if he were just sleeping but there was a dark patch on the quilt. Darker than the rest of the quilt. She moved forward slightly and then froze again as she felt herself standing on something sticky. She looked down at the hard, wooden floorboards and saw the small, red droplets leading from the foot of the bed to the open window.  
  
Margarete looked back at Eike, lying dead in his bed, and began to scream... 


	9. Silence and Familiar Faces

1 Shadow of Destiny – Once Again  
  
  
  
1.1 Chapter 8  
  
Eike knew instantly that something was wrong. I feel like I've slept on a plank! He opened his eyes and found he was not far from the truth. He was lying on his front on a wooden floor. His head, turned to one side, gave him a clear view of wooden floorboards and beyond them a familiar inky blackness. This could only mean one thing...  
  
Damnit!  
  
Eike pulled himself up onto his feet and looked up at the large door in Homunculus' realm. He wasn't sitting there, which was depending on your point of view, either a good thing or a bad thing. It was good, in that Eike felt he'd upset the demon in some way at their last meeting and now was a bit uncomfortable about being in his actual presence. But Eike's human nature supported the bad view of the situation. This place was far freakier when you thought you were alone.  
  
"Um.... Homunculus?"  
  
Eike's voice echoed eerily in the demon's small world. He was aware of how stupid he sounded and braced himself for the first sarcastic words from the demon.  
  
They didn't come!  
  
Eike continued to glance around, confused and more than a little frightened by this uncharacteristic silence. I guess I must have really upset him, thought Eike. Oh well, guess it's up to me. Eike looked over at the large door and took a deep breath. He strode over with what he hoped was confidence and opened the door.  
  
*****  
  
After being tossed through the vortex of time...or whatever it was called, Eike looked around his bedroom at the Eckhart's mansion. He guessed that he had just arrived back from seeing the fortuneteller. He thought back over what he had done when he got back. He turned around and looked at the closed door. It didn't have a lock, but the house was all locked up downstairs. There was no way Hugo could have come in that way. Which leaves...  
  
He turned to the window and grimaced. It was open. Seemed the simplest thing for a killer to do. Climb through a window. Still, Eike thought as he closed the window. What Hugo lacks in originality he more than makes up for in perseverance. He closed the curtains and turned, starting to unbutton his green jacket...  
  
A shock shot up through his body. Eike gave a yell and jumped back, falling over for the second time that night. There was a clatter on the floor and Eike looked at his feet. The digipad was vibrating across the floor, glowing with that strange green light which showed that his destiny had been activated somehow.  
  
The door behind him flew open. Eike jumped again, but this time to his feet. He turned to see Margarete behind him, looking scared and worried.  
  
"Eike! I heard you shout! What's going on?"  
  
"Margarete, quiet! Please!" Said Eike in a whisper. "I'm fine, it's just..."  
  
Eike suddenly felt his stomach lurch. He turned and grabbed the digipad off the floor. He looked at the display and sure enough there was now a countdown time. Of about ten seconds.  
  
"Eike! There's..."  
  
Eike looked up at Margarete's shout, to see a dark, shadowy figure on the other side of his window. It raised an arm...  
  
Eike barely thought about what he should do. Desperation made him ignorant of the consequences. He turned, grabbed Margarete's arm and pressed the only button on the digipad that he could. He saw Margarete rise in the air opposite him, her eyes wide in shock as the green glow from the digipad surrounded them both and everything else faded in it's bright light.  
  
*****  
  
"Eike...w-where are we?"  
  
Margarete's voice snapped Eike back into reality. He shook himself mentally and looked around. They were still in Eike's room, but something was wrong. Very wrong. There was no paint on the walls, just cold, gray stone. The bed was different too. It looked...while very luxurious, not quite so modern. Eike looked around the room. He thought he recognized various pieces of furniture, although now it all looked brand new, not so antique. There was a fireplace, which looked as though it had been used recently.  
  
Margarete grabbed Eike's arm and shook it. "Where are we? What's going on?"  
  
Eike turned and placed a hand on Margarete's shoulder. "It's okay, Margarete! We're still in your hometown. Just.... I think we're back in your time now. Or at least near to it."  
  
"We time traveled back home?" Margarete still looked confused. " But that was nothing like what happened when Hugo did it!"  
  
"Lets just say we're traveling courtesy of a professional." Eike said bitterly. Where had Homunculus planted them now? Or was 'when' a more appropriate word?  
  
"I think we'd better get out of here. If we are in your time again, this is the squire's house now. He probably won't want strangers here."  
  
Eike turned and headed for the door. He was about to open it when someone turned the handle from the other side and opened it. Eike stood and stared at the young woman in front of him.  
  
"Dana!?!"  
  
The girl looked at him, obviously confused.  
  
"I'm sorry, have we met?"  
  
  
  
//Oooohhh! Confusion on all sides! Please read and review. It's hard to find the time to do this at the moment; I need support to keep me going. Pretty please!?! Thanks to everyone whose already reviewed. *hugs* You're all great! 


	10. A Revelation and a Moment

1 Shadow of Destiny – Once Again  
  
  
  
1.1 Chapter 9  
  
"Huh? I-I mean...what?"  
  
"Sir, I don't think you should be in here." Said the young woman cautiously. "This is the squire's wife's room."  
  
"But...you're...Dana?" was all Eike could manage.  
  
"I'm sorry sir, I'm not Dana. My name's Rachel."  
  
"But...you look so..."  
  
Eike was unable to grasp the situation. He was just getting over the fact that this woman was practically Dana's double when other thoughts began to plague him. If Rachel was related to Dana, then that would make her his /descendant/? Maybe even his granddaughter or something!  
  
"Sir, I swear to you I have never seen you before in my life! And for your sake I hope I don't see you too soon. Please go before, my Lordship finds you and punishes you and your friend!"  
  
Reality began to creep back, and Eike turned to Margarete. "We'd better do as she says." He said, taking her hand. "Would you show us the way out please?"  
  
"Gladly, sir!" said Rachel, obviously relieved. She turned and started off down the corridor. Eike and Margarete followed behind her. The whole house was vaguely familiar. Eike knew he could have found his way through this place easily. But he wanted to know more about this girl. He had to know if she was one of Dana's descendants.  
  
"Excuse me, Rachel?" He said cautiously. Eike wasn't quite sure whether this was a polite question to ask, or whether he could actually bring himself to ask. Rachel had turned and was looking at him expectantly. Margarete, who had been silent all this time, was looking confused, clearly wanting an explanation.  
  
"Um...do you by any chance...have a relative...called Dana?" Rachel looked at him blankly. He tried again. "Like a grandma of aunt or something?"  
  
"Sir, I'm sorry but I just don't..."  
  
"Please! I know it sounds ridiculous but it's really important!"  
  
Rachel looked at Margarete for a moment, and then looked back at Eike. She took a deep breath and said;  
  
"Well, I know I have no aunts of that name. My grandma died before I was born so I don't know about her but..."  
  
"Do you have a mother?" said Eike, aware that his voice was becoming almost hysterical. "Would she know?"  
  
"I'm sure my mother would be expected to know her own mother's name!" said Rachel sharply. She glared at Eike for a moment, suspicious. "Why do you ask me this though? You can't have known my grandma."  
  
"Well...I ah..." Eike wasn't quite sure how to answer this.  
  
"We didn't know her!" said Margarete quickly, seeing Eike's hesitation. "We wanted to look up people under that name in this town. Eike thinks he has a distant relative of that name."  
  
Eike nodded vigorously, glad that Margarete had managed to come up with an excuse for their strange appearance and behavior. //Why couldn't I have had help like this the first time round?// he thought.  
  
Rachel seemed surprised. But then she smiled and said; "Well, I suppose that is pretty important...looking for family. I guess you could go to my house and ask mother. She would tell you. I'd take you there but I still have lots of work to do here."  
  
"We could come back later." Said Eike, not wanting to miss out on this opportunity. "When you've finished here?"  
  
"Sure! I finish at 7:30. I'll wait for you at the gates to the mansion and take you home from there."  
  
"Thank you very much! I really appreciate this."  
  
Rachel smiled and carried on walking. They reached the door and Eike and Margarete wandered out into the street.  
  
"That was good cover back there Margarete!" said Eike, as they headed towards the square.  
  
"Thanks" she said quietly. Then she said, nervously. "Dana...she was that girl you were looking for wasn't she. Rachel looked like her, didn't she." These weren't questions. They were undeniable statements.  
  
Eike felt guilt rise up. "Well, yeah."  
  
"Okay, I get it."  
  
Eike stopped and looked at Margarete. She looked hurt. He knew why. The other time he had seen that look on her face was when he told her he thought she might be his ancestress. Eike knew she liked him. He liked her too. At the time he had wished, mainly for her sake, that things could have been different. And now he knew for certain they weren't related, even distantly...well...why not?  
  
"Margarete. There's something I need to tell you." Eike thought very quickly. He couldn't tell her who she really was. That would be too much for her at a time like this. He would settle for giving her some hope.  
  
"You remember when we were last here? And I told you that we were..."  
  
"/Related?/" Said Margarete, in a voice which sounded oddly strained.  
  
"Yeah that's right." Said Eike. Even now he could feel embarrassment rising. He reached up and scratched the back of his head nervously, his eyes flicking back and forth. "Well, I've...talked to someone and I found out some stuff. And I'm kinda certain now that..." here he took a deep breath; "...that I was wrong."  
  
Margarete's head jerked up. Her eyes were glassy. Tears were forming in the corners of her eyes, and revelation was slowly dawning on her face.  
  
"Y-you mean..."  
  
"I'm not your ancestor. We... aren't related. Not even distantly."  
  
Margarete continued to look at him, her lips parted slightly out of shock.  
  
"Oh" was all Margarete managed to say. It was a quiet sound, but in it were all the harmonics of hope. It was a call you couldn't help but answer.  
  
One tear escaped and ran down her cheek. Eike, moving by the command of his feelings rather than his thoughts, lifted a hand and placed the backs of his fingers against Margarete's cheek, brushing the tear away with his thumb. Margarete, mesmerized by what was happening, raised her own hand to push several stray locks of blonde hair from Eike's eyes. They could both feel the pull towards each other. As irresistible as gravity, and more intoxicating than anything on earth.  
  
Eike lowered his head slowly. Margarete's eyes closed. Her lips remained parted, waiting. She was trembling with nervous anticipation. His lips were just grazing hers...  
  
"Oh, //please//!"  
  
  
  
//Be grateful! I don't like writing romantic moments. Tell me how badly I suck at them! Honestly? ^_^ I love reviewers! I do! I'm dedicating this to everyone at the neoseeker forum who thought that romance of some kind (or any kind) was needed in this game. Does this satisfy? ;) 


	11. Trust, Friendship and Feelings

1 Shadow of Destiny – Once Again  
  
  
  
1.1 Chapter 10  
  
Eike and Margarete simultaneously jumped back at the voice, which broke through their beautiful, shared moment. Eike saw Margarete's eyes widen at the sight of something over his shoulder. He turned, already knowing who he would see. Homunculus stood in the street, one hand on his hip, his head on one side and a look that was somewhere between disgust at the sight he had just witnessed, and amusement at how he had ruined the whole thing.  
  
"Great," said Eike, after a small silence. "So /now/ you decide to show up?"  
  
"I do pick my moments, don't I, Eike?" said Homunculus, crossing his arms and smiling at the embarrassed pair.  
  
Eike glared at him, despising him even more for showing up at precisely the wrong time, and quite obviously doing so on purpose. He turned to Margarete, who was still staring at Homunculus with eyes that showed both fascination and terror.  
  
"Margarete?" said Eike gently, getting her attention. She reluctantly met his gaze, clearly embarrassed. "This is Homunculus."  
  
Margarete looked more surprised than before. She looked from Eike to Homunculus several times, before finally letting herself focus completely at Homunculus.  
  
"Is...isn't he the one Hugo says caused all this? The one who he thinks ruined our family?"  
  
"Oh, but I never ruined /your/ family, little girl." Said Homunculus, chuckling quietly.  
  
"Hey!" Eike practically shouted at the small man. Homunculus was toying with Margarete's mind, confusing her. Margarete was having a bad enough time as it was without that little...  
  
Eike strode towards Homunculus, fully intent on dragging him off and beating the crap out of him. But before he could reach him the demon raised a hand and shook his head, signaling a truce. But Eike noticed he still wore that omniscient smirk.  
  
"If you dare..." he said quietly, so that Margarete wouldn't hear. Homunculus simply rolled his crimson eyes at the threat and then made a small gesture with his head, indicating that he wanted to talk to Eike away from Margarete. Eike nodded. That would probably be best. He would have to explain to Margarete later. He turned back to her.  
  
"Listen, Margarete...I need to talk to him alone. Could you meet up with me in about..." he looked at his watch, then over his shoulder at Homunculus, who promptly held up two slender fingers. "...two hours? At the bakery? You'll know your way around. Everything's pretty much the same as it was in your time."  
  
"Well, if you think I'll be all right?" Margarete said uncertainly.  
  
At this Eike began to feel worried. If they were in the time he thought they were in, then there was a chance Hugo might be around. If he saw Margarete...well, he didn't like to think about what might happen. Again he looked over his shoulder at Homunculus, who rolled his eyes again and then shrugged indifferently.  
  
"If it's so important to you Eike, I'll keep an eye on her while we talk. I'll know if she runs into trouble."  
  
"Great, but..." Before Eike could finish his sentence, Homunculus raised his hand to his mouth, palm up, as though he were about to blow someone a kiss. He blew gently on his hand and blood-red tendrils of pure energy and magic curled from his palm and wafted across to Margarete. She drew back slightly, obviously scared, but the magic crept towards her. It enveloped her head, entering her mind through here nose and mouth, as though she were breathing it in. Her eyes glowed faintly red for a moment, before returning to their normal brown.  
  
"You can go now." Homunculus said simply, and Margarete just nodded, turned slowly and walked away from them down the street, walking as though in a daze. Eike immediately rounded on Homunculus again.  
  
"What did you do to her?"  
  
"Don't get so worked up, Eike! She'll recover quite quickly. The magic will alert me if she's in any danger, trust me okay?"  
  
"Do you need to ask me to do that?" Eike said, unable to resist a smile. Then he sighed. "So what now? Where are we going?"  
  
"Do I need to remind of where it is you want to go Eike?" said Homunculus.  
  
"You mean to see Rachel's mother? But we can't just go there! It's not...it isn't..." Eike looked at Homunculus, who raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue. He realized that lecturing Homunculus on the subject of manners would be a waste of time.  
  
"Fine." He said resignedly.  
  
Homunculus smiled. //Like a child that had convinced it's mother to take it to the playground// Eike thought as he began to walk level with Homunculus. //It would be the most morbid playground in the world though!//  
  
Eike suddenly thought of something that had been nagging at his conscience. He hoped that he wasn't risking anything asking.  
  
"Homunculus?"  
  
"Hmm?" came the disinterested reply.  
  
Eike stopped walking and grabbed Homunculus' arm, turning the weaker man round to face him. The look on Homunculus' face was shock, but then quickly became one of barely contained rage. He jerked his arm out of Eike's grip and stepped away from him, glaring at him as if daring him to take one step closer.  
  
"God, Homunculus! You don't have to look so upset! I just need to ask you something and, just this one more time, do you think you can give me a straight answer?" Homunculus said nothing. "Okay, look. Firstly, if I wanted to kill you or hurt you I would have tried before now. Secondly, I don't think I'd dare for a large number of reasons. Will you just...lighten up? I've resigned myself over to trusting you after everything you put me through, do you think it'll cost you anything to trust me too?"  
  
Homunculus looked at Eike, as if he was truly listening to what the young man said for the first time. Trust was not something that Homunculus encountered often, either coming from him or someone else.  
  
"I wouldn't expect you to even begin to understand how I view these petty human emotions like compassion and trust you seem so intent on making me feel. I don't /feel/ anything, Eike, I've told you I'm not human. I know nothing about such things and I have no wish to know of them either. You have no idea what it's like."  
  
"Is that what the problem is? You think no one would get it? That your 'superior' knowledge somehow makes us all beneath you? Maybe if you just /tried/ trusting people then...well...how would it hurt?"  
  
Eike stopped. He wasn't quite sure why he was pushing Homunculus like this. He just felt that, if the demon trusted him then maybe he wouldn't go off and do something like he had done before with Dana and Margarete. He also felt...guilty for some reason. Like he had somehow hurt Homunculus' feelings, if he actually turned out to have any.  
  
"Listen," said Eike a lot more gently than before. "I think what I really mean is that...I just feel like I've...offended you somehow. With what I said back in the square. And when you didn't appear in your realm when I died I thought that you might have gone off to do something...horrible."  
  
Homunculus sighed and met Eike's rather embarrassed gaze. "Eike, you know very well that I despise this body. And I have it forever, there is nothing else I can have other than this...shell. I was not offended by what you said it simply...surprised me that you seemed to understand what I am."  
  
"I guess that might come from me summoning you up when I was Dr. Wagner right?" said Eike, laughing nervously.  
  
"Perhaps." There was a long pause during which Homunculus appeared to be thinking very deeply. As if considering the consequence of an action. "I have never trusted humans Eike. I have always considered them somewhat...stupid and not worth my time. But this...relationship you and I have, for all it's fragility and hostile feeling, well...it is perhaps the closest thing to friendship I've ever experienced."  
  
"Does that make you nervous?" said Eike, more than a little shocked by Homunculus' confession.  
  
"Yes, but for reasons I would rather not elaborate on at the present. I think we should really go and visit this woman now."  
  
"'We?'" said Eike "You mean you're coming in with me?"  
  
"It would appear so." Homunculus said, smiling. There was a mischievous gleam in his eye now, and Eike couldn't help but smile in return.  
  
"Lead on then!" said Eike.  
  
Homunculus glared at him. Whether he was truly offended or not Eike wasn't sure. But he wasn't taking risks.  
  
"Please?"  
  
  
  
//Phew! Long chapter! Hope you like. Sorry no action this time but lots of Hom makes up for that right? Do I get some reviews as a reward? *puppy-dog eyes* Please! 


	12. Discoveries

Shadow of Destiny - Once Again  
  
  
  
Chapter  
  
It didn't take them long to reach the house. Eike knew better than to ask how Homunculus knew where it was. There was a lot more to Homunculus than he had first thought, which was certainly saying something, but despite their agreement Eike felt that asking too many questions would result in a certain rift in their.friendship, for lack of a better word.  
  
It looked like most of the other houses, with its walls crumbling slightly with age and the thatched roof. But Eike couldn't stop the feeling of nervous anticipation that was building up in his stomach. When they stopped at the front door Homunculus simply folded his arms and gave Eike an expectant look, with just the slightest trace of amusement flickering in his eyes.  
  
"W-what?" asked Eike, immediately cursing himself for stuttering like a frightened idiot.  
  
Homunculus shook his head at Eike's outright stupidity, barely containing a laugh at his obvious nervousness.  
  
"Well, do you really think a medieval family would let someone like me into their house Eike? I believe you'll find people in this time are more well- disposed towards humans."  
  
Eike glared at Homunculus for a moment before asking, "So I'm going in on my own then?"  
  
"Do you really need a personal guard at all times, Eike? Honestly, you can be so paranoid. I'll be in there, but the family mustn't see me."  
  
Eike wanted to point out that having Homunculus as a bodyguard was probably as clever as sticking your head in a hot oven to get rid of a headache. But having upset the demon once over his fragility he bit back the comment and instead knocked on the door.  
  
After a minute or so the door opened. Eike didn't see the person who opened it until he looked down. A little girl of around eight was looking up at him, deep brown eyes narrowed in confusion.  
  
"Um. hi!" Was all Eike could manage for the moment. He was quite unable to think of what else to say.  
  
"Papa says that we aren't to buy things from strangers," said the little girl, obviously just as nervous and uncertain as Eike was.  
  
"Oh, well I'm not selling anything. Actually I wanted to talk to someone. Is Rachel's mother here?"  
  
"Oh yes, Nana's in the front room, I'll just go tell her someone's here for her." She dashed off, light-brown hair swinging across her shoulders. After a minute she was back and she opened the door to let Eike in. She led the way into a small room with a fire burning in the grate. An old woman, whom Eike presumed to be 'Nana', was sitting as close to the fire as possible.  
  
"Uh.ma'am?" Eike ventured.  
  
The old woman looked up and smiled. "Ah, my mysterious guest. I don't often have visitors. It's a pleasure. Please come closer, young man, I can't quite see you."  
  
Eike heard an amused chuckle at the words 'young man' and turned to see Homunculus sitting on top of a nearby table, smiling and apparently invisible to the rest of the room. He gave Eike an encouraging nod, and then began swinging his legs like a bored child. Eike eventually turned back to the old lady and took a seat opposite her.  
  
"So," the old lady said, leaning back in her chair, "you know our Rachel then?"  
  
"Well, not exactly. I only just met her at the Squire's house."  
  
"Ah, yes. Poor child, she has to go and earn her living, slaving away. I know she'd much rather be at home, taking care of me and little Tanya."  
  
Eike looked over at the little girl, who was playing with a rag doll underneath the table Homunculus was seated on.  
  
"Is she Rachel's daughter?" he asked, confused. "They certainly don't look alike."  
  
"Oh bless you, child!" the old woman said, laughing. "No, little Tanya is her niece. My eldest daughter, Sasha is her mother. She's out in the town at the moment getting."  
  
Eike was a little disappointed by the way this 'investigation' was going. He needed to know about Dana. Whether she was related to these people. Though how could she not be?  
  
"I'm sorry, ma'am," he said, interrupting her suddenly, "but I came here to ask for your help. I'm looking for someone. A relative of mine. I know it sounds strange but this is really important."  
  
"Well, if anyone knows the value of a family it's me, young man. I know most of the members of this family so I may be able to help you."  
  
"Okay, great." Eike could feel the excitement building in the pit of his stomach again. "Well, do you happen to remember someone by the name of Dana?"  
  
The old woman looked at him for a moment. Her forehead creased as she thought about the name. To Eike's utter dismay, she shook her head.  
  
"No," she said sadly. "I'm sorry young man. I simply can't think of anyone by that name."  
  
Eike felt his level of excitement drop dramatically. He looked with what he hoped wasn't desperation at Homunculus, but his head was lowered and he seemed utterly ignorant of what was happening. Either that or he didn't care. It made Eike desperate for some answers. There had to be some way to connect Dana and Rachel.  
  
"Well.then do you know.Hugo? Yes! Hugo Wagner. Is he related to you in some way?"  
  
"I beg your pardon!" The old woman seemed quite astonished. "Wagner? Well, I don't know anyone by the name Hugo but most people would know the Wagner's. A farming family I believe."  
  
"Farmers? Aren't they a. well. aren't the Wagner men alchemists?" Eike was even more confused now.  
  
"Good heavens, no!" The old woman said, laughing again. "They're farmers through and through. I should know. My dear Rachel and the eldest Wagner boy are very close. I've been praying one day he might."  
  
"Oh!" The exclamation of surprise and horror that Eike uttered made both the old lady and Tanya jump.  
  
"What is the matter? Are you alright?"  
  
Eike didn't even hear the woman's question. He was staring at Homunculus, who still had his head down. But then, slowly, he raised it, and Eike saw that the demon hadn't been ignorant of the conversation. In fact, he seemed to have found something highly amusing about the whole thing. He was shaking with barely controlled laughter. Laughter he had been hiding right from the start.  
  
Eike gave another cry and jumped to his feet. He didn't hear the worried cries that followed him as he ran out of the small house. He tried to block everything out as he pounded down the street, head down, not caring where he was running to.  
  
After what could only have been a few minutes he stumbled and finally slumped against the wall that surrounded the town church. Breathing hard, he still couldn't believe what he had just discovered. He had wanted information, but he hadn't expected this.  
  
The inhuman chuckling behind alerted him to Homunculus' presence. Whirling around on the small man, breathing in ragged gasps he pointed at him accusingly.  
  
"You knew!" Eike practically shouted. "You knew that.that."  
  
"Well, of course I knew, Eike." Homunculus said calmly, now controlling his amusement.  
  
"Oh god, I can't believe this is happening."  
  
"I thought you humans rather liked this sort of thing to happen. What is the matter with you, Eike? Aren't you pleased? I mean, one moment you have no parents, and then. just like magic, there they are!"  
  
//Oooh. I had this plot twist in my head for a while. Sorry if it's not much of a twist but I can't please everybody. Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter and to anyone who has been waiting for me to update. (I've been moving house so please be understanding!) Oh and as to the hint of an Eike/Hom relationship. well, we'll see how the story goes, all right? ;) 


	13. Family?

//Hello everybody! Long time, no update. I've been a really busy girl lately. Moving house, moving schools etc. I'm sure you know the feeling. Still, hopefully I'll be able to update a little more frequently over Christmas hols. Anyway, here's the next instalment. Enjoy!  
  
Shadow of Destiny - Once Again  
  
/Parents./  
  
But of course he had parents! Except... they were Wagner's parents. So yes, they must be his parents too!  
  
Eike slumped to the ground as he fought to get control of his thoughts. He had to think clearly. How could this be possible? He wasn't even sure if it made sense.  
  
As if reading his mind, Homunculus began to explain;  
  
"Don't you remember that little book your friend Eckhart gave to you? The one about alchemy? The one about... you?"  
  
Eike winced. The concept was just too strange to imagine.  
  
"You, that is you as Wagner, "Homunculus continued, "were born a farmers son, according to that book. You became the ward of a wealthy family because of your intellect. Does this ring a bell, Eike?"  
  
Eike didn't need to look up to know the demon was smiling smugly, the way he always did when he knew he was right.  
  
"So..." Eike said slowly, ready to be interrupted if he was mistaken, "It's not Rachel who looks like Dana, it's the other way round. Because Dana is... will be /my/ daughter, and Rachel's her... grandmother?"  
  
Homunculus chuckled. "That's right. You're starting to get the hang of all this Eike. Well done."  
  
Eike knew he was being mocked. Probably only Homunculus' fragility was preventing him from applauding sarcastically.  
  
/Parents./  
  
//So Rachel is my /mother/!//  
  
"But, why are you showing me this?" Eike demanded suddenly. "What have they got to do with anything? You're not about to tell me one of /them/ is helping Hugo or something? You seem to have a knack for introducing me to people who will stop at nothing to kill me."  
  
Another chuckle, though this one was perhaps slightly less sinister.  
  
Eike looked up at Homunculus, who was standing over him, smiling slightly, with one hand on his hip and his head on one side. The scene reminded him of the incident where Homunculus had tried to explain the theories of time to him. /Coffee and tea.../  
  
/Now parents./  
  
"Why?" Eike asked again, slightly more urgently.  
  
Homunculus' smile faded to be replaced by a very rare frown.  
  
"Your new family may, or may not, have something to do with the current events. But despite that possibility..."  
  
"You mean you don't /know/?" Eike yelled suddenly.  
  
"What have I already told you, Eike? Sometimes things happen that even I can't understand."  
  
"Does that mean there's more to all this than just Hugo out for revenge on you...on us?"  
  
"I'm afraid that may be the case. But you will see for yourself once you have returned to your time." Homunculus stopped suddenly and Eike saw his red eyes begin to glow. A brief look of barely controlled disgust pass over his face.  
  
"You had better go and find Margarete," the djinn said. "She's..." another disgusted face, "...worried about you".  
  
Eike smiled at Homunculus' discomfort and got to his feet. "Okay, so where is she?"  
  
"Back in the town square, you had better hurry, you don't have much time left before you won't be able to get back."  
  
"Okay, got it." Eike turned and began to run in the direction of the square.  
  
"Just one more thing..."  
  
Eike stopped and turned, but Homunculus wasn't behind him. His voice came from right inside Eike's own head.  
  
"What?"  
  
"The gardener's working shed is on the right when you go through the gates."  
  
"What the..."  
  
"Good luck."  
  
And then there was nothing.  
  
//Well good riddance to you too!// Eike though bitterly as he began running back to the square.  
  
*******  
  
Margarete was waiting for him on the steps of the town hall. She practically threw herself into his arms when he approached.  
  
"Eike, where were you! I was so worried that..."  
  
"I'm fine," Eike said hurriedly, probably sounding a little harsher than he intended to. "Look, Margarete, we don't have much time. If we don't find a way of stopping Hugo from getting into my room to kill me and then get back to my time we'll be stuck here for good."  
  
So saying, he grabbed her hand and broke into a run again, this time heading for the manor house.  
  
"Do you know what you're going to do?" Margarete yelled to him.  
  
"Homunculus told me to look in a work shed for something." He didn't need to look round to know Margarete was frowning in confusion. "I'm not sure what it means either," he said over his shoulder.  
  
When they got to the manor house, Eike immediately turned right and saw the shed. He went inside, with Margarete close behind him. He stood in the middle of that small hut and looked around for something, anything.  
  
//C'mon, think!// he said to himself. //Why the hell would Homunculus want me to look in a tool shed? For a weapon?// Eike looked at an axe lying in one corner. The idea of chopping Hugo to pieces wasn't appealing, even if Hugo /was/ trying to kill him. Besides, it didn't work that way. There had to be a simple and practical way to stop him.  
  
/Wait!/  
  
Eike lunged forward and grabbed the axe, and before Margarete could begin to ask questions he was off and running again, charging round the side of the mansion.  
  
She ran after him and saw him disappear round a corner. When she rounded the same bend she was shocked, and even a little horrified, to see Eike chopping away like a madman at a creeper that had been growing up the wall. He was saying something under his breath. She could only catch individual words though...  
  
"...climbed...must've...not now".  
  
"Eike what's..."  
  
"/No time/" he yelled. He threw down the axe and grabbed her hand. She watched him pull the small machine he had used before from his pocket, which was now glowing with a throbbing green light again, and press some of the buttons.  
  
"Hang on!"  
  
Margarete clung to his hand tightly as they were lifted into the air and surrounded by a glowing ball of green light, which closed in on them and sucked them into the time stream.  
  
  
  
//Phew! This is longer than the other chapters so far, and I reckon the next one might be even longer, considering what I've got in mind! I hope I've cleared up any confusion left from the last chapter. If it still doesn't make sense then just say so and I'll redo the chapter. I might just rethink the whole chapter set up, so the chapters are longer, but there are fewer of them. Tell me if you think that's a good idea. I need feedback people! ^_^ 


	14. Risky Business

Shadow of Destiny - Once Again  
  
Margarete felt dizzy as she and Eike touched down gently back in his bedroom, just as they had left it. Although... in a sense they had never left. Margarete wondered how Eike could stand all this. It must be horribly complicated.  
  
Eike let go of Margarete's hand and walked over to the window. She followed him and looked out.  
  
"Weren't there some..."  
  
"Yeah," Eike said, knowing what she was thinking. "I cut all the vines down in the past so they would never grow, so Hugo wouldn't be able to climb up to my window to kill me."  
  
"Oh..."  
  
Eike turned to her. She looked exhausted and a little frightened. He felt sorry for her, being dragged into all this against her will. He wondered briefly if there was any way he could give her the life that she should have had.  
  
"Eike? What's wrong?"  
  
He shook his head. "I'm just tired I guess". It was a lie. He'd never felt more awake. "You'd better get to bed, otherwise you'll feel even worse tomorrow."  
  
Margarete nodded, not looking Eike directly in the eye. "I guess I'll see you in the morning," Eike said, trying to break the awkward silence that had descended on them. She nodded again and then turned and left. Shutting the door quietly behind her. Eike heard the soft creak of her footsteps, and then the sound of door opening and shutting in the distance.  
  
It was pointless for him to try and sleep. So he removed his jacket and just sat on the edge of his bed, putting his chin in his hands.  
  
He thought about what Homunculus had said. About there being more to all this than Hugo's revenge. Eike didn't entirely trust Homunculus about not knowing what was going on. //I mean,// he thought after a moment, //the guy's practically omniscient isn't he? Can't he just jump forward in time and find out what happens to us. Why can't...//  
  
Eike's brain went on repeat. //Jump forward? Forward in time!//  
  
Was that even possible? He'd never tried to go forward in time. Of course he travelled back in time and then forward to the present day. //'Back to the Future'// he thought with a smile. But he'd never tried going forward from the present day. Was it even possible?  
  
Sleep could go hang itself. Eike had a demon to find. He grabbed his jacket and headed for the door.  
  
*******  
  
//Okay, you got out of the house. Bravo. Now what, genius?//  
  
Eike stood at the bottom of the hill on top of which the art museum/ library stood. He had recovered from the initial rush of having such a brilliant idea and was now reconsidering his not so brilliant assumption that Homunculus, if he could be found anywhere, would be found outside.  
  
There's gotta be some way for me to get hold of him. I guess if I got myself killed... Eike shook his head. Killing himself would probably not be the best way to get to Homunculus. Besides, he hadn't been in his lair the last time Eike had died.  
  
//Maybe if I just wander round a bit. I mean he might be keeping an eye on me. This coming back from the dead stuff doesn't just happen on its own. //  
  
Eike wondered for the first time how that part of this deal actually worked. How did Homunculus manage to snatch his soul back from wherever it was heading? Obviously, although he had been granted eternal youth, he was not immortal, or there would be no need for all this fuss.  
  
//So I'll live forever as long as no one comes along and kills me. Charming.//  
  
Eike set off towards the town square. He tried not to think of anything except what was going on around him. Or rather what wasn't going on around him. Every now and again he'd turn around in a full circle, looking down every alleyway, searching every shadowy corner. Just to make sure.  
  
"Don't be paranoid, Eike. You /know/ there's someone after you."  
  
For once, Eike as almost glad to hear that inhuman voice. He turned around. He couldn't see Homunculus anywhere. Finally he gave up looking and just stood there.  
  
"I have to ask you something."  
  
"Well, I didn't exactly think you'd come out here for a healthy stroll, Eike. Honestly. Sometimes I wonder if you humans have any sense of self- preservation. Wandering around outside when there's someone out to kill you. I mean really..."  
  
"Ha hah. I'm glad you seem find my situation so amusing," Eike said dryly. Once the demon had spoken however, Eike worked out where his voice was coming from and in a nearby alleyway he could just see two red eyes. The rest of Homunculus was hidden in shadow.  
  
"It is your attitude that amuses me," said Homunculus. "Don't forget that your situation places me in danger as well. So? What was it you were willing to risk your life and mine to ask?"  
  
"Well... it was about time travelling actually."  
  
"What about it?"  
  
Eike faltered. He wished he could see Homunculus' expression. It would at least give him some idea, even if it wasn't the right one, as to how he was reacting to Eike's questions.  
  
"I was wondering... if... well..." he stumbled over his words. How the heel was he supposed to ask this question?  
  
He heard Homunculus give a rather bored sigh. "I know we both have eternity, Eike, but I don't intent to wait that long for you to ask me a simple question."  
  
//Oh well. Here goes nothing...//  
  
"Can the Digipad make me go forward in time?"  
  
He saw the two red eyes narrow ever so slightly and, in his nervousness, started to ramble.  
  
"I mean, I thought if we could go forward in time from the present then... well maybe we could work out how to get out of this." Eike suddenly had a flash of inspiration. "Like you said, back in the time when Miriam was shot... except she wasn't... I mean, you said you 'tested out a few histories'. What did you mean by that? Did you go forward in time to see what would happen or what?"  
  
Eike suddenly became aware that Homunculus had stepped out of the shadows and was approaching him. His face was expressionless, and Eike couldn't read any emotion in those red eyes.  
  
//Oh God. Please tell me I didn't go too far!//  
  
Homunculus stopped just a few feet away from Eike. He didn't say a word just stood there.  
  
"Err..."  
  
"Eike, you are asking me to explain something utterly beyond human comprehension. To be honest I'm amazed you've taken in all the knowledge you have acquired up till now."  
  
"Um... thanks?"  
  
"Despite that, I can understand why you would think travelling forward in time would solve all our problems. Unfortunately it is not as simple as you might think."  
  
"Nothing ever is for me these days," Eike said half to himself. "So what's the problem?"  
  
"You have heard me speak of the threads of time. Separate threads which lead people down different paths, like before when you travelled back in time in that... ridiculous costume and told yourself to get an iron plate in order to protect yourself."  
  
"Oh yeah. And when I said I didn't remember anything about giving myself any egg letter you told me I was experiencing... the end results of different forks. Right?"  
  
"That's right. Well, I explained how fate branches out into many paths but you can only chose one of them. Therefore, if you were to travel forward in time the digipad would not have just one path to go down which had already taken place but several, unknown paths. The result of such uncertainty can be... somewhat disastrous."  
  
Eike wasn't sure he understood this at all and shook his head. "I think I'm gonna need another analogy here Homunculus."  
  
The demon nodded the familiar smile now replacing that blank expression.  
  
"Well, lets suppose that you are walking through a forest along a path. Suddenly you find yourself confronted with more than five different side paths that you may walk down, each leading to an unknown place. Now, the path you have just walked down you know is safe. If you were to go up and down that path you would know were you would end up at either end."  
  
"Wait", Eike said suddenly. "So if I kind of teleported ahead to the place one of the paths led to then I wouldn't know where I would end up and I wouldn't know how to get back to where I had been before?"  
  
"In a way. The digipad will have to randomly select a thread of time for your future and jump across to its finish. But often threads of time will meet at the same destination, and if that happens when you travel to the future then when you try to get back..." here Homunculus spread his hands. "Like I said, the results could be disastrous for you. Your entire future may collapse."  
  
"Damn. I never realised that could happen."  
  
Homunculus nodded. "It is very risky. Possible. But risky."  
  
"I take it you don't like to take risks".  
  
"Immortality is the greatest of bores if you don't take just a few risks now and again."  
  
Eike suddenly felt the vibrations of the digipad in his pocket. He pulled it out and stared at it, confused. It wasn't glowing its usually green colour. Now it pulsed with a deep red light. He turned to look at Homunculus and saw the smile on his face grow wider.  
  
"What are you..."  
  
"Good luck," was the last thing Eike heard the demon say before he was bathed in the glowing red light and he was thrown down an as yet unknown thread of time.  
  
  
  
//Damn I have the biggest headache now. I'm not sure I understood anything of what I just wrote! If no one else understands it please say so and I'll try and clear up a few details. I hope you like this chapter and it was worth the headache! Huge thanks to Mort for the inspiration to write this chapter! ^_^ And thanks to anyone else who reviewed!// 


	15. A Necessary Evil

Shadow of Destiny - Once Again  
*** Hey everyone. Sorry it's been a while since I updated this fic. I've been preparing for exams and I've been writing other stuff as well. Anyway, big thanks to everyone who reviewed. I love ya'all! Here's the next chapter for you! ***  
  
//You utter creep// Eike thought as he traveled on to his unknown destination. //You utter creep of a demon. Just hurtling me into danger. You'd better know what your doing, Homunculus, or.// Or what? If anything went wrong he wouldn't exist anymore. He would exactly be in a position to pummel the living hell out of the demon.  
  
He squeezed his eyes shut when he felt himself slow down, and then felt the firm ground under his feet. He waited, half expected his body to implode or something. When it didn't, he opened one eye and gave an exasperated sigh. He was /still/ in the same town, and it looked just the same as when he had left, except that for some reason it was day now. There was no sun though, only gray clouds. Eike hoped that wasn't a bad sign.  
  
Now all he had to do was figure out what to do. Eike wasn't exactly sure how it worked this way round. You couldn't change the past by manipulating the future after all. So maybe he would just have to find out how things had gotten this way and work out what to do from there.  
  
But how the hell was he going to do that?  
  
The street was deserted. Looking back, he could see the town square. Maybe there was something there that could help. Someone anyway. He could here noises from that direction. So he broke into a brisk jog, not certain how much time he was allowed in the future. He was pretty sure he would get a warning from the Digipad if he needed to return to the past, or maybe from Homunculus. But he wasn't going to take any chances.  
  
Rounding the corner, he stumbled and almost fell over at the sight that loomed in front of him. He steadied himself on the wall and his breathing became ragged gasping as he stared at the chalk markings on the ground. It was surrounded by yellow tape, and a policeman stood nearby, trying to keep away the gossiping ladies and drunken youths Eike recognized from previous encounters. Eike felt weak when he spotted Margarete in the crowd. She was standing quietly, her hands clasped to her chest. She stared at the chalk marks with a kind of controlled horror. When the light caught her face, Eike could see glistening tear-tracks on her cheeks. His eyes moved back to the chalked outline of a body on the cobbles.  
  
//Is that my outline?// Eike asked himself. //Did. did I die? But if.//  
  
Eike suddenly realized the awkward position he was now in. If it was him that had been killed, then it would be very strange for Margarete, even the whole crowd, to see him standing there looking remarkably well, excepting for being a little pale. Quickly and quietly Eike turned and went back round the corner he had just turned. He leaned back against the wall, trying to catch his breath and work out what was happening.  
  
Had Homunculus failed? Or had the demon finished with him at that point? Maybe, somehow, Homunculus and found a way to detach his destiny from Eike's, so that he no longer needed to save Eike, and then Eike had been killed by Hugo again, and now he was dead for good. Was that it? It was a horrible thought, but it certainly made sense. If Homunculus didn't need Eike anymore, why would he go out of his way to help him? That complete.  
  
Eike tried to calm himself down. He took a few deep breaths and rubbed his temples. But anger still bubbled inside him and he wanted more than anything to scream out. How could Homunculus do that? He was such a sneaky bastard and it was the sort of thing he'd do. But why? And far more importantly. how?  
  
Eike decided he had better get away from the town square and the scene of his murder. It was depressing to think of it that way but it was the truth. Besides, he couldn't risk being seen by anyone. Especially Margarete. So he began to walk south towards the art museum or the library. He couldn't really remember. He was really starting to lose track of things. It didn't matter in the end. If he needed the library he could always go back in time and change it.  
  
Eike paused. It was amazing how natural it al seemed to him now. Time- travel. Demons. He would probably need some serious therapy when all this was over.  
  
He stopped when he reached the small patch of trees, the place where he had seen Homunculus and learned about him switching Margarete and Dana. Eike winced at the thought of how those two girls and been messed around so badly. It wasn't fair, wasn't right, for Homunculus to treat people like that. And how could he have been so casual about it. Like he didn't care.  
  
Eike rolled his eyes. //That's because he doesn't care, you moron. /He's/ not human, remember?//  
  
He was about to walk on, when a movement behind one of the trees caught his eye. Turning back, he saw for the first time that someone was standing there, their back against the tree, watching the alleyway nearby. He couldn't see who it was, but Eike felt certain that they could help him.  
  
"Um... excuse me?" he said, loudly.  
  
The figure turned, and Eike's next question caught in his throat as he recognized who he was staring at.  
  
Himself.  
  
Considering what he had just seen back at the square, it was the greatest shock in the world, to see himself, looking entirely well and very much alive, standing right there in front of him. If that was the case, then it couldn't have been /his/ outline on the cobbled ground at the square.  
  
But then who's was it?  
  
"Great you're here," the future Eike was saying. "I thought you might have gone to a different time, but I thought it would be good to just make sure."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
The other Eike waved his hand. "Doesn't matter. You'll figure it out eventually. /I/ did."  
  
Eike swallowed and shook his head in confusion, still trying to come to terms with the fact that he was, quite literally, talking to himself. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"Look, your here to find out what happens to us. Or rather, what has already happened to me and what will happen to you."  
  
Eike lined up all the words he'd just heard; eventually decided they made sense and nodded slowly.  
  
"Right," his other self said, looking relieved. "So you remember Homunculus telling you there might me more to this than just Hugo out for revenge? Well, in this thread of time that didn't happen. Something went... wrong. I'm not actually sure. Maybe Homunculus worked it out. But you have to make sure that Margarete isn't involved in any of this. Okay? If she's there when you have to do this then... I don't even like to think what will happen."  
  
"When I have to do what?"  
  
The future Eike winced slightly. "You have to let Hugo get killed."  
  
Eike looked at himself; shocked and horrified that he was hearing himself say this. He realized what should have been completely obvious from the moment this other Eike had stepped out of the shadows. /He/ hadn't been killed, so it must have been Hugo that...  
  
"But why do..."  
  
"I know," the other Eike said, and to his credit, he really did look unhappy with the whole concept. "But it has to be done. Homunculus told me that interfering in that event could cause an even worse disaster."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"I didn't dare ask."  
  
Eike leaned against the wall, completely dumbstruck by all this, by what /he/ was suggesting. "I can't believe this," he murmured. "How can you just tell it to me like that."  
  
"It wasn't exactly easy for me to do, you know," the other Eike said. "I am sorry for being so blunt with you. I just knew we didn't have much time. You can't spend too long in the future; otherwise things really get screwed up. I'm really sorry, Eike, but it's just what you have to do. It's what /I/ had to do."  
  
At that moment, Eike felt the familiar vibrating in his pocket. The digipad glowed red, signalling the need to return to the past, he guessed. He pulled it out and his finger hovered uncertainly over the buttons.  
  
"Well, I wish we had met under more pleasant circumstances," his other self said, managing a small laugh, which Eike couldn't quite return. "I'll leave you to it. I've gotta get back to the library. Mr Eckhart has a hard time dealing with everything on his own."  
  
Eike's finger dropped on the button to return to the past just before he had time to ask what his other self had meant by "on his own".  
  
With a sickening whirl, he was hurled through the streams of time. It was different this time. He felt as though every part of his body wanted to fly off in a different direction. Time was trying to drag him off down a dozen threads of time at once. Eventually, after a few moments of stomach- churning uncertainty, he was set down just in front of the library. He landed hard, and actually cried out as he was thrown forward on his face. He moaned into the cobbled path, looked up slightly, and moaned again.  
  
A pair of black boots were just in front of him. One was tapping impatiently, waiting for him to get up.  
  
"Nice to see you're still in one piece, Eike," Homunculus said.  
  
Eike pushed himself up, dusting off his pants and trying to scrape up what remained of his dignity. Homunculus seemed to go out of his way to make Eike feel like a complete idiot and, unfortunately, succeeded every time. He decided not to bother with the usual 'small talk'.  
  
"I spoke to myself," he said flatly. Homunculus nodded. "You knew I'd have to do this didn't you." It wasn't a question.  
  
"You wouldn't have believed me if I'd told you, Eike", Homunculus said calmly. "I thought it best you here it from yourself."  
  
"Boy that makes me feel better," Eike said bitterly.  
  
There was silence for a moment, before Homunculus spoke. "You don't have much time. You woke Margarete when you cried out, and you'll have to lock her in her room so she doesn't interfere."  
  
Eike nodded. "And then I go to the square?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
He nodded again, and walked past the demon, unlocking the front door and slipping in as quietly as possible. 


End file.
